1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 136 1-3 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol will 1-4 be celebrated February 1, 2001, and the Texas Senate takes great 1-5 pleasure in recognizing this important region whose citizens 1-6 have contributed immeasurably to the Lone Star State; proudly 1-7 representing their county on that day will be residents of 1-8 Jim Wells County and the cities of Alice, Orange Grove, Premont 1-9 and San Diego; and 1-10 WHEREAS, Alice recently opened two new state-of-the-art 1-11 medical facilities, Alice Regional Hospital and Christus Spohn 1-12 Hospital-Alice; in addition, Alice has been known as the birthplace 1-13 of Tejano music and is home to the newly dedicated Tejano R.O.O.T.S 1-14 Hall of Fame Museum; and 1-15 WHEREAS, In the early 1500s, Alvar Nunez de Cabeza de Vaca 1-16 explored the area known today as Jim Wells County, and his records 1-17 tell of tuna or prickly pear festivals held annually by his coastal 1-18 Indian captors around the present day City of Alice; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Originally a part of Nueces County, 1-20 Jim Wells County was created and organized by the Texas Legislature 1-21 on March 11, 1911, and the City of Alice became the county seat; 1-22 the county was named for a prominent political figure and land 2-1 developer, James B. Wells, Jr., who was also purchasing agent for 2-2 the King Ranch; and 2-3 WHEREAS, The area comprising Jim Wells County figures 2-4 prominently in the early days of Texas for the land had become 2-5 a part of Texas after it gained its independence from Mexico in 2-6 1836; and 2-7 WHEREAS, There were extensive land holdings in the area 2-8 owned by N. G. Collins before early settlers to the region arrived 2-9 in 1850; they brought only the barest necessities with them to 2-10 build a general store and a trading post east of present day Alice; 2-11 the town of Collins was short-lived since the San Antonio and 2-12 Aransas Pass Railroad was built two miles west of the community when 2-13 landowners refused to sell the right-of-way through the town; and 2-14 WHEREAS, In 1886, a new town developed where two rail lines 2-15 intersected; after several name changes, the new town of Alice, 2-16 named for Alice King, began to develop economically; located at 2-17 that time in the northwestern part of Nueces County, the town 2-18 eventually became the largest cattle shipping point in the world; 2-19 and 2-20 WHEREAS, Located in the geographical heart of South Texas, 2-21 along the "Texas Tropical Trail," Alice is known as the "Hub of 2-22 South Texas" due to its strategic location at the intersection 2-23 of State Highway 44 and U.S. Highway 281; and 2-24 WHEREAS, Along with the oil business, ranching, cattle 3-1 shipping and cotton and grain production, a fine public school 3-2 system, modern hospitals, and an expanding health-related service 3-3 industry combine to drive the local economy; and 3-4 WHEREAS, Situated on primary United States-Mexico trade 3-5 routes connecting Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley with the 3-6 Port of Corpus Christi, the City of Alice and Jim Wells County 3-7 are developing into a major "Hub of International Trade"; U.S. 281 3-8 has been named in the National Highway System Designation Act of 3-9 1995 as a key link in the future I-69 NAFTA Superhighway System; 3-10 and 3-11 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County has been an important agricultural 3-12 area that contributed to the development of the Southwestern part 3-13 of the United States; since the mid-1800s when the famous Chisholm 3-14 Trail passed through the county, the cattle industry has played 3-15 a major role in its economy; mesquite brush and grasses in the 3-16 western part are ideal grazing conditions for livestock, and 3-17 coastal plains to the east produce coastal Bermuda and vegetables; 3-18 and 3-19 WHEREAS, In 1936, the first notable oil activity in the 3-20 county began and the first major oil producer, The Texas Royalty 3-21 Corporation and Lucy Petroleum Company No. 1, was bought northeast 3-22 of Alice; the oil rush brought many new families to 3-23 Jim Wells County; and 3-24 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County history has been carefully 4-1 preserved at the South Texas Museum, a Texas Historical Landmark, 4-2 which has an outstanding collection of historical artifacts and 4-3 exhibits; donated by the McGill Family, the museum was the 4-4 old ranch headquarters; this great museum recently started a 4-5 significant building project that will expand and enhance its 4-6 ability to provide county residents with an exemplary view of 4-7 South Texas history; and 4-8 WHEREAS, Proud of their unique heritage, the citizens of 4-9 Jim Wells County have retained the social fabric of their culture 4-10 through fiestas, county fairs, rodeos, and outdoor activities, 4-11 including hunting, water sports and other popular recreational 4-12 events; and 4-13 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is 4-14 an appropriate occasion for the Texas Senate to recognize the 4-15 residents of Jim Wells County and to commend them for their 4-16 excellent accomplishments; now, therefore, be it 4-17 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 4-18 77th Legislature, hereby declare February 1, 2001, as 4-19 Jim Wells County Day and join its citizens as they celebrate 4-20 their county's greatness; and, be it further 4-21 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 4-22 the citizens of Jim Wells County, and that copies be presented 4-23 to County Judge Arnoldo Saenz, Mayor Fidel R. Rul Jr. of Alice, 4-24 Mayor Truett Thomas of Orange Grove, Mayor Norma Tullos of Premont, 5-1 and Mayor Alfredo E. Cardenas of San Diego as an expression of the 5-2 admiration and appreciation of the Texas Senate. 5-3 Truan 5-4 Armbrister Gallegos Ogden 5-5 Barrientos Harris Shapiro 5-6 Bernsen Haywood Shapleigh 5-7 Bivins Jackson Sibley 5-8 Brown Lindsay Staples 5-9 Cain Lucio Van de Putte 5-10 Carona Madla Wentworth 5-11 Duncan Moncrief West 5-12 Ellis Nelson Whitmire 5-13 Fraser Zaffirini 5-14 Ratliff, President of the Senate 5-15 ______________________________________ 5-16 President of the Senate 5-17 I hereby certify that the above 5-18 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 5-19 on January 30, 2001. 5-20 ______________________________________ 5-21 Secretary of the Senate 5-22 ______________________________________ 5-23 Dean of the Senate